Hydraulic core drill



Nam 3, 193-1.. L. H. WELLENSBEK F193BQWE5 I HYDRAULIC CORE DRILL Filed Sept. 17, 1929 2 Sheei-Shee-c 1 L. H. WELLENSIEK 1N VEN TOR BY 7?. M

A TTORNEY L. H. WELLENSIEK 0,

HYDRAULIC CORE DRILL Nova 3, 1931..

2 Sheets-She'r. 2

Filed Sept. 17, 1929 11v VENTOR A TTOR/VEY 11,11 WELLENSIEK Patented Nov. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOUIS H. W'ELLENSIEK, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR. TO HUGHES TOOL COMPANY; OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, A. CORPORATION OF TEXAS HYDRAULIC CORE DRILL Application filed September 17, 1929. Serial No. 393,218.

My invention relates to core drills for use in obtaining samples in deep well drilling; and more particularly to core drills having a core barrel which is removable while the drill is working in the bottom of the well.

It is an object of the invention to provide a core drill equipped with a core barrel which will automatically latch in place in the drill pipe without the necessity of cooperating mechanism upon the drill or drill pipe.

I also desire to provide means to seal off the upper end of the core barrel against the pressure of the flushing fluid employed in drilling.

It is a further object to arrange a particularly efiective vent for the upper end of the core barrel.

I have also provided a novel means of gripping the core when the core barrel is to be withdrawn from the hole.

Other objects closely related to those mentioned are accomplished in my improved structure as will more clearly appear from the description which follows.

In the drawings herewith, Fig. 1 is a central vertical section through a core drill and illustrating the core gripping device, taken on the plane 1 1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the plane 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar section on the of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 and 5 are similar to Figs. 2 and 3 respectively, but illustrate the parts in difplane 33 ferent positions from those shown in the other views.

Fig. 6 is a central vertical section of the upper end of the drill stem shown in Fig. 1 and showing my improved core barrel therein.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken on the plane 77 of Fig. 6.

It is to be understood that my invention is adapted for use on any ordinary type of core drill with Very little change in the structure of the drill. I have shown the device employed in a drill head 1 of the scraping type with laterally projecting blades 2, which extend forwardly of the head of the drill and are provided with shoulders 3 around the central core receiving opening upon which the core barrel 4 may be supported. The head of the drill interfits with a collar 5 and has a central socket or recess 6 to receive a shank 7 upon said collar. Said shank has a lateral slot 8 to receive a dowel 9 upon a pin 10 screwed through the wall of the head 1, thus locking the head to the collar. The 'slot 8 is shown in Figs. 2 and 4. It is long enough to allow a limited rotation of the collarf relative tohthe bit head for the purpose 0 o eratin t e core ri in means which will n dw be described. g pp g The core gripping means includes four arcuate links curved on the arc of the recess or socket 6 so as to .fit together in the lower end of said socket. There are two upper links 11 and two lower links 12. Each upper link is secured at one end by cap screws 13 to the lower end of the shank 7 of the collar, and at opposite points thereon. The lower links are secured to screws 14 whose lower ends form dowels to fit within opposite recesses 15 in the bit head. The free end of each upper link is pivotally connected with the free end of one of the lower links 12 as will be understood from Figs. 3 and 5. Whenthe drill is operating the drive pin 10 is in the position shown in Fig. 2, and the links 11 and 12 are as shown in Fig. 3, the core barrel 41 being inserted between said links. If the drill is rotated in the reverse direction the links will tend to move into the position shown in Fig. 5.

The head 5 of the collar is secured by a tool joint member 17 to a pipe or stem 18, which is of the proper length to form a housing for my core barrel. The upper end is connected with a special tool joint box 19 by means of which the tool is connected with the drill stem. Within the central passage through the joint 19 is secured a guide pipe 20, said pipe being held from unscrewing by set screws 21, said guide pipe being of suitable length to include the latching mechanism.

The core barrel 4 has a short core shoe 22 at its lowerend, said shoe being cut central-' 1y with grooves 23 longitudinally of the shoe to weaken the side wall of the barrel. Thus,

when the gripping links 11 and 12 are contracted, the wall of the shoe 22 will be crushed against the core so as to grip and hold the ,same.

lower end of the recess 28 is formed into a valve chamber, the lower end of which has a nipple 30 screwed therein. A valve 31 seats in said chamber to close the passage to the nipple 30 under ordinary conditions.

The latching means 27 includes a short section of pipe 35, the sides of which are slotted at 32 to allow the operation therethrough of the links 33 connected with jaws 34 on the outer side of the housing. There are two pairs of links 33. The upper pair is connected at their inner ends toa mandrel 36, which is slidable through a bushing 37 at the upper end of the housing, and has a head 38 within the housing to which the upper links are secured. The lower links are connected on their inner ends toa lug 39 on the upper end of the head 25. The head 38 upon the mandrel has a slight vertical play in the housing, and when said mandrel is moved downwardly it acts to extend the jaws 34 against the guide tube 20 and anchor the barrel in that position. The jaws may likewise be rleleased by an upward pull on said man.- dre The mandrel is secured at its upper end to a plug 40, which is in turn secured to the lower end of a short housing 41 and serves to close the lower end of said housing. Said housing has a reduced opening 42 at its upper end through which a shaft 43 is slidable. A head 44 on the shaft within the housing conmeets the shaft to the housing and allows a short vertical movement of the shaft relative to the housing so as to compress or release a packing sleeve 45 on the shaft above the housing.

Above the packing sleeve is a nipple 46 se- 1 cured to the shaft 43 and having a lower shoulder to fit against the upper end of the packing sleeve. he upper end of the nipple 46 is provided with a head 47 to be engaged by a grapple or fishing tool of common construction when the tool is to be withdrawn. It is to be noted that the guide barrel 20 has fluid openings 48 above the core barrel assembly.

In the operation of my device the core bit 1 may be operating in the whole without the core barrel in place. When it is desired to obtain a sample, the core barrel with its operating mechanism isdropped' through the drill stem until the core barrel rests upon the shoulder 3. In bringing the core barrel to this position it is usually necessary to first raise the drill from the bottom and flush out the core barrel and the bottom of the hole so that no material will clog the movement of the barrel to its seat, as shown in Fig. 1. The striking of the barrel on the drill will cause the mandrel 36 to move downwardly to extend andlock the jaws 34 against the guide barrel, and thus prevent the upward movement of the core barrel in taklng the core. The drill is then rotated to cut the core. The flushing fluid is diverted laterally through the openings 48 and outside the guide barrel by the packing sleeve 45 which is expanded by the weight of the nipple 46 and shaft 43. The flow of the flushing fluid past the lower end of the guide barrel 20 will exert a suction upon the passages 29 and valve chamber 28, tending to release any fluid above the core as it moves upwardly in the core barrel,.thus allowing the valve 31 to raise easily.

When a core is to be removed, a grapple is lowered to grip the nipple head 47 to raise the barrel. Before the barrel is raised, however, the drill is rotated to the left to bring the link jaws 11 and 12 tightly against the shoe 22 to crush in the side walls thereof and grip the core. The drill is then rotated in a right hand direction to release the jaws so that the core barrel may be withdrawn, it being understood that the crushed walls of the shoe will hold the core inthe barrel.

When the nipple 46 is pulled upwardly it will release the packer 45, and W111 then release the jaws 34 so that the core barrel isfree and said core barrel may thus be withdrawn to the surface with the sample therein.

It will be seen that the taking of the sample will consume but little time, and the progress of the bit in its drilling of the well will not be materially delayed. The tool is positive and simple in its construction, and effective in its operation.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a core drill, a drill bit, a tubular stem thereon, a guide barrel in said stem, a core barrel adapted to be supported on said bit, means to anchor said core barrel releasably in said guide barrel, and means operated by the rotation of the bit to grip the core in said core barrel.

2. In a core drill, a drill bit, a tubular stem thereon, a guide barrel in said stem, a core barrel adapted to be supported on said bit,

means to anchor said core barrel releasably supported on said b1t, a collar having a limit I ed rotation relative to said bit, and means enhaving a limited rotative movement relative gaging said bit and said collar, and actuated by relative rotation of said bit and collar to engage and force inthe walls of said core barrel.

5. In a core drill a drill bit, a core barrel supported on said blt, a drill stem, a collar on said drill stem connected with said bit and thereto, means on said collar engaging said bit to drive the same, arcuate links connected with said collar and said bit and operated by relative rotation of said collar to move in wardly to clamp against said core barrel.

6. A drill bit head, a core barrel supported therein, adrillstem, a collar thereon interfitting with said head to drive the same, but having a limited rotation relative thereto, and clamping means responsive to relative rotation of said collar and drill to move inwardly to engage the core.

7. A drill stem, a drill bit head, a core barrel supported therein, a collar on said drill stem interfitting with said head to drive the same, but having a limited rotation relative thereto, and clamping means responsive to relative rotation of said collar and drill to move inwardly to engage the core, said clamping means including links pivotally connected to said collar and said head.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature, this the 6th day of'September, A. D., 1929.

LOUIS H. WELLENSIEK. 

